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Better than Store-Bought, 10 Minute Homemade Basil Pesto

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There only is one green sauce that actually everyone likes – pesto. Contrary to all other green sauces, pesto somehow manages to convince, despite its very healthy looking color. And if you buy it at the store, it’s so easy, right? It is. But let me tell you, once you have made your homemade one, you‘ll never go back to store bought. This salty goodness just won‘t compete with the one from the store. Plus, it really just takes 10 minutes to make.

What’s special about this dish? 

To be honest, this is not too fancy or has a special twist. This is one of the few classic recipes. Because really, pesto is so heavenly as is. Actually making pesto yourself already is kinda really special. 

Traditional pesto

What even is pesto? What is it made of? And what differentiates traditional pesto from most store bought ones. So, pesto is a green sauce from Liguria, Italy. It is eaten with pasta, burrata, as a topping or a dip. It is made of fresh basil, grated parmesan, garlic, pine nuts, salt and olive oil. For a really good pesto, it is essential to use high quality ingredients, especially a good olive oil and some good parmesan cheese. And that already is the difference to most store bought ones. In order to make them cheaper, the quality is compromised. Often, there is water added to it or olive oil is partially substituted with some cheeper oil. This way it does not taste as intense and as good.

Also, when it comes to making pesto, it is really important which ingredients you blend, any which you stir in by hand. The basil, garlic and pine nuts need to be blended. The parmesan needs to be grated and then stirred in by hand along with the olive oil. You must not blend the parmesan and olive oil!!!!!! This needs to be stirred in by hand.

The only store bought pesto I buy is either the one from our local delicatessen store or the one from pastafani. They both have the right texture and high quality and taste like real, authentic pesto. So I can highly recommend this.

Is this dish healthy? 

Definitely healthy-ish. It is packed with lots and lots of healthy fats and vitamins. The basil accounts for a bunch of fibre and different vitamins. The nuts on the other hand are a great source of protein and also unsaturated fats. The olive oil, if high quality, also is an excellent source of omega-3 and other unsaturated fats. The parmesan cheese is packed with a bunch of protein but also saturated fat. So overall, a quite balanced meal. 

How to make this dish?

As the title says, this really takes 10 minutes only. All we need to do is blend the basil with the garlic cloves, roasted pine nuts and a pinch of salt. This should be blended really finely and make a thick paste. Then we need to grate the parmesan cheese and stir in a little parmesan cheese and a little oil a bit at a time until we get a creamy consistency. And yup, that already is it.

When and how to best have it and meal prep friendly? 

Pesto definitely is one of the most meal-prep friendly dishes. When you make it and have something left, you can just store it in a jar and cover it with oil. It‘ll last up to 2 weeks, if covered completely with oil, because then it is not in contact with fresh air. 

In terms of what to vest have it with, I‘d definitely say pasta!! Either Trofie (that‘s what you would typically get with pesto in Italy) or definitely on top of burrata or mozzarella, on top of salads, or, one of the best combos, which I have recently discovered is Pesto and Hummus. A MUST try! On bread, rice crackers or whatever – it is life changing.

Homemade Pesto is a must try and a real game changer. It is SO easy and honestly one of the most delicious things you could make. I know I have told you a bunch of times here, but there is no way you dl not try this! 

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Better than Store-Bought, 10 Minute Homemade Basil Pesto

There only is one green sauce that actually everyone likes – pesto.  It is SO easy and honestly one of the most delicious things you could make. Ready in 10 minutes (and gone in 5 probs)

Course basics, dinner, lunch
Prep Time 10 Minuten
Total Time 10 Minuten
Servings 4 servings

What you will need

  • 50 g basil
  • 30 g pine nuts
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 100 g parmesan cheese
  • 125 ml olive oil

How to

  1. Roast the pine nuts in a nonstick pan on high heat until golden. Add to a food processor along with the basil, the garlic and some salt. Blend until having reached a creamy paste.

  2. Finely grate the parmesan cheese.

  3. Add the basil mix to a bowl and about 2 tbsp at a time, add in the cheese and the olive oil. Then repeat until having nothing left.

  4. Serve with pasta, bread, salads, or just enjoy as is!

I am wishing you a whole bunch of fun and deliciousness when cooking! 
Enjoy,
Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière 

Creamy Basil Feta Pasta

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Summer to me is lots of fresh herbs. Mint, basil, rosemary, parsley, all of the good things. No matter where. Whether it is in salads, as a garnish, on toast, in drinks, in pesto or in pasta. It is just a sign and part of summer. So fresh, so tasty. But, as good as pesto is, here we are gonna switch things up a little bit and make an extremely easy, 10 minute pasta dish! No, that’s not a typo, it actually only takes 10 minutes (maybe 15 max)!

What does summer mean to you? Laying at the beach, toasting barbecues and summer parties, going for a swim? To me it is lots of sun, good times and fresh food! Definitely! That is why I love herbs so much! I love how they add so much freshness to every single dish you add it in. Also they just add such a nice flavour!

Are herbs healthy?

Definitely! It honestly is very surprising to some! In most kitchens you will find some sort of herbs. Some prefer them in a fresh form to add them to dishes or as a garnish and some have them in their dried form. I personally prefer the dried form for seasoning because they are more intense in flavour but I always have fresh herbs on hand for garnish. Also they make pretty much everything look nice.

Back to the point. Herbs actually are super healthy. Their are extremely high in vitamins, minerals but also fibre. Some even have a decent amount of protein. The great thing about them is that it is so easy to add them to anything to give all of your meals an extra nutrient boost.

How to add more herbs to your diet

This part I believe is really easy. One of my favourite ways is to add it into salads. Like adding a little bit of mint and basil to your salad not only makes a great flavour but also adds a bunch of vitamins. Other ways are to stir is into sauces like into tomato sauce, into stir fries, here cilantro would work amazing, when marinating something or just make pesto out of it. All of these ways are super easy.

Is this sauce like pesto?

No, but also yes. So it is kind of similar but also different. What is pretty much the same is the strong basil flavour. But we are not using parmesan cheese and pine nuts and loads of olive oil. So basil as a base is same. Instead of parmesan cheese we are using feta. If you do not know, feta is a cheese made out of sheep’s milk. It originated in Greece and still is very popular these. It is a firm cheese but has a rather „light“ and fresh taste. So as said, it is a firm cheese but when you blend it up it becomes very creamy.

We still, also use a little bit of olive oil to add some flavour but not as much as in pesto. No nuts in here, which pesto does have. What is „new“ here, which is not usual in pesto is that we add some greek yoghurt. The greek yoghurt adds some creaminess and makes it really good.

How to make the sauce & substitutes

Well, that’s the easiest thing ever. Blend it all up, that’s it. First only the basil, which allows it to become very fine and smooth. Then we add the feta and lastly, some salt, olive oil and greek yoghurt. Also reserve some water from the boiling pasta and add it again when combining the pasta with the sauce. This really is key to making a super creamy sauce and to allow it to combine it well.

If you do not do feta, you can use cream cheese instead. I would recommend using one from goat though, because I believe that the flavour just goes in better harmony with the basil but regular one works too. If you do not have greek yoghurt on hand, you can use some regular yoghurt or half the amount and substitute it for cream cheese.

When to have it & meal prep

I LOVE this as a quick and easy lunch or dinner. It is perfect for a large number of people because it is super easy to make and very versatile. If you want, you can also add some grilled chicken or prawns on top, which also is really tasty.

I would not recommend it for meal prep just because I personally do not like reheated pasta and it only takes very little time anyway. If you do not mind reheated pasta, you can totally meal prep it. Or you just meal prep the sauce, this works really well.

I hope that you like this recipe and enjoy it all throughout summer !

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Creamy Basil Feta Pasta

A great summer pasta. Not like your pesto but much better. And easier. 10 minutes, 6 ingredients. Super good.

Course dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Mediterranean
Prep Time 5 Minuten
Cook Time 10 Minuten
Total Time 15 Minuten
Servings 4 servings
Calories 732 kcal

What you will need

  • 500 g spaghetti
  • 300 g feta
  • 100 g basil about 3-4 large handful
  • 100 g greek yogurt
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • some dried tomatoes

How to

  1. Bring a large pot with salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Before draining the pasta reserve one cup (about 200ml) of the pasta water.

  2. While the pasta is cooking add the basil to a food processor, until it is very finely chopped. Then add the feta and blend again until a creamy consitency is reached. Last add the olive oil, greek yoghurt and a pinch of salt. Add at least half of the reserved pasta water and blend again.

  3. After draining the pasta add it back to the pot along with the sauce. If it still is too thick and does not combine well, add some more pasta water.

  4. Divide onto the plates and garnish with extra feta, dried tomatoes and fresh basil.

    Enjoy!

Happy cooking,
Enjoy,
Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière

Italian Tomato and Eggplant Stew with fried Halloumi and Pita

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Fresh and sweet tomatoes with soft and slightly mushy eggplant plus tangy capers and olives. Oh, and not to forget about the good herbs and the Goey fried halloumi with fresh pita. Hard not to get hungry when reading this right?!

To be honest I have never had Halloumi until a few months ago. I spent a day with my besties in Bratislava and we were so tired after this super long day and went into a super cute little café. We just ordered some small snack like avocado toast and a greek bowl and in this bowl there was halloumi. And let me tell you, I instantly loved it. Maybe it is because I am a huge salt-addict (I know, that’s not very healthy but I just love it). Halloumi is pretty salty but tbh, that makes it real good right?

What goes well with Halloumi?

So I believe that everything that is with Mediterranean flavours goes super well with it! And everything with lots of herbs because herbs + halloumi is just the best combination. It tastes really yum with tomatoes, cucumber, olives, eggplant (=aubergine). Also, this might sound a little weird but believe me, it is also really good with oriental things like curry, hummus, falafel. Yes curry and halloumi goes with with each other. Might sound a little off but it is really good. If you want another halloumi recipe you can check out my Honey Eggplant and Chickpea Salad with Grilled Halloumi because that’s also really good!

Why Eggplant & Tomato?

Well because this combination with Halloumi is just so good. And Eggplant works so well in stews because it has a rather soft texture and makes it a little creamy-ish. Also it adds such a nice flavour. And tomatoes are always good. Especially in sauces or stews they are a must! They kind of build a „base“ for it and makes it saucy. And they are coming into season, so why not?

Fresh or canned tomatoes?

This really is up to you. They both work perfectly fine. If they are in season and you have them on hand, I would always recommend using fresh produce! But if you used canned ones make sure they are not all puréed. The best is if you mix them both. So use some fresh ones and some puréed sauce. That way you get some texture and sauciness. All the good things in it.

30-minute meal

You thought this couldn’t get any better? Well, it can! Because this comes together in less than 30 minutes. I know, so easy. Which means, it is perfect for a quick and healthy lunch or a cozy and simple dinner. Also, making it is not complicated at all! Actually the opposite is the case. It essentially comes down to chopping the ingredients and throwing them all together into a pot plus frying the halloumi in an extra pan. Yes, that simple.

What to have it with

Pita is my favourite go-to here because it is perfect to soak up the sauce and it has such a nice texture and taste. But if you do not like it or are intolerant to gluten or cannot find a good one you can also substitute it out for other things. Something like Quinoa, Pasta, Couscous or Rice would also work really well here. If you want to on the lighter side, you can also just serve it with a salad, which also is really good!

This is such a tasty meal for whenever you ar craving something comforting but healthy. Comes together really quick, is super family friendly, has lots of vitamins (& cheese ofc) and tastes amazing!

I hope that you will love this recipe as much as I do and that it will become a staple in your household!

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Italian Tomato and Eggplant Stew with fried Halloumi and Pita

Healthy, comforting and so full of flavor. A 30-minute, super quick and good weeknight dish!

Course bowl, dinner, lunch, Main Course
Prep Time 10 Minuten
Cook Time 20 Minuten
Total Time 30 Minuten
Servings 4 servings
Calories 456 kcal

What you will need

  • 1 red onion
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 650 g Eggplant about 2 medium sized ones
  • 300 g tomatoes fresh ones (best is a mxi of large ones and cherry tomatoes)
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 200 g canned tomatoes (puréed)
  • 2 tbsp rosemary
  • 2 tbsp oregano
  • juice from 1/2 lemon
  • 60 g Capers about 3-4 tbsp
  • 40 g Olives about 3 tbsp, sliced olives
  • 300 g Halloumi
  • 2 Pita

How to

  1. Finely dice the onion. Heat up the olive oil in a pan and add the onion when hot. Sautée for about 2 minutes until fragnant.

    In the meantime chop the eggplant and tomatoes into about 2 cm sized chunks or half the cherry tomatoes, if using. Add them into the pan and sautée for another 2 minutes on high heat. Reduce the heat to medium high and stir in the tomato paste and sauce and the herbs. Let simmer for 10 minutes and then add in the juice from half a lemon, the capers, olives, some freshly cracked black pepper and some salt. Let simmer for another 10 minutes.

    While this is simmering slice the halloumi into about 1/2 cam thick slices. Place them on a grill or a preheated (grill)pan and fry them on medium high heat for about 3 minutes on each side until golden brown.

    Heat up the Pita in the oven.

    When everything is ready add the stew onto the plates and place the fried halloumi on top. Serve with the fresh pita and enjoy!

Happy cooking,
Enjoy,
Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière <3

Best Cauliflower and Parmesan salad with Parsley vinaigrette

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Nothing beats a good side to go along with any meal. Adds the extra wow and takes anything to the next level. Just like this cauliflower and Parmesan salad. Its one of these non- boring but super easy sides that you will start wanting to make with everything.

I git the inspiration for this dish when I was out eating at a restaurant in Dubai. I order a side, a veggie salad and something really similar to this recipe arrive, and it was bomb amazing. I knew I had to recreate it but at first I wondered if anyone else would like it because I have a taste for very healthy things that barely anyone likes but my family loved it too! They enjoyed the recreation even more. 

Salads are always a great side dish, i believe. They are light, refreshing, and full  of vitamins. Just as this salad is, just without the greens. And it will even get people who don‘t enjoy eating vegetables a lot, to eat it because the parmesan in the dish really turns everything around. It does not taste super healthy anymore. 

And let me tell you so much, it is ready in 5 minutes. At least if you have a food processor, if you don‘t then you probably need 10. yes, it is that simple. You can just prepare it while your fish is sizzling in the pan or somethings roasting in the oven. The making, essentially is, cutting the cauliflower into really fine chunks, or pulse it in the food processor because it will save you a lot of time. Other, you simply need to grate some parmesan cheese and chop it even a bit smaller, finely chop some parsley and combine the ingredients for the vinaigrette. And its done. 

This „salad“ goes best with a simple main dish. A baked fish or a grilled chicken breast or anything Italian inspired because the cheese in the cauliflower salad matches the Italian spices a lot. Surprisingly, it even gies well with some asian inspired dishes such as my steamed salmon in chili lime sauce. It really works with most dishes, but these are the ones I would recommend! 

It also works for meal prep if you want to prepare it ahead of time and enjoy it throughout the week! Just, do not add the vinaigrette before, only when you want to eat it because otherwise it will get soggy and wont taste as good anymore! 

I hope that you will enjoy this recipe and make it oftentimes because it really is that good! 

Enjoy,

Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière

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Best Cauliflower and Parmesan Salad with Parsley Vinaigrette

Not your average side but much better. fresh cauliflower, hearty parmesan cheese, light and herby vinaigrette. Goes perfect with anything. A must.

Course Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish
Prep Time 5 Minuten
Total Time 5 Minuten
Servings 4 sides
Calories 142 kcal

What you will need

  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 40 g parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 large lemon, juiced
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

How to

That is how it works:

  1. Cut the cauliflower into small florets. If you have a food processor, place them in it and pulse until they are fine chunks. If you do not have one, finely chop them into rice-sized pieces and place them in a large bowl.

  2. Grate the parmesan on the rather large side. Then roughly chop it again, to also reach the size of the rice corn. Add it to the cauliflower and generously salt.

  3. In a small bowl combine the olive oil, parsley, honey and lemon juice. Toss the "salad" in the dressing.

    Serve in bowls and enjoy!